Transformers Prime: The Light of the Primes
by Novtrizonic Horizon
Summary: The Autobots think Jackson Darby has gone missing. Jack knows better. He's dead. But Primus has given him a new life, and Jack returns as a Cybertronian. Soon enough he finds out who he was, but that doesn't change the fact that Optimus has become his father- and has been since Jack first met him. It's just that Jack knows it now...and that he's a Cybertronian too. Right?
1. Chapter 1

A Deception.

A cannon.

Bright lights.

A voice not dissimilar to Optimus Prime's voice, but older and a little lighter.

"Jackson Darby...You have a great destiny. The Deceptions may have torn you family apart-" I remembered losing my dad, but up until now, I hadn't realized it had been a Decepticon who killed him, "-and taken your life-" And to think, I hadn't realized I was dead! "-but the Autobots need you..."

The briefest sensation of a warm smile washed over me, and in a sudden glow- it wasn't a flash but more like looking at the sun if it suddenly got bigger- I could make out an old, tired-looking face that smiled down at me as if I were his own child. Who knew? Maybe I was,but I didn't know. The face seemed familiar, kind, and full of love, but at the same time it was also indescribable. "Your new life will not be any easier than your last, but you will not be a stranger to you friends." My last thought, as the person said this and faded away to whiteness, was that how would my friends know me if I was being given a new life? That had to mean I wouldn't be myself.

I had to guess though, that the voice was right. He was so comforting, so kind, and yet so surreal. So familiar, and so fatherly, yet so unrecognizable.

* * *

The whiteness faded and it felt like I had just woken up from a long sleep, except that I knew I hadn't. I couldn't remember the discussion I had just had, but it felt like there was a hole in my memory I couldn't fill. I knew I was something...something...else. Other than what I had been. What had I been, anyway? I didn't know. I didn't care. I was cold, alone, it was dark, and I needed someone to show me a little compassion. With no other options, I let out a thin wail that peirced the empty air like a light in the dark but that also weighed upon me like...guilt? Why? Did I leave something important somewhere? Suddenly my concerns dissapeared as a large face appeared in my vision. Orange...white...Blue eyes...I felt like I should know who that is, but I didn't. I refused to stop wailing, and the person in front of my whispered, "Shhhhh, don't cry. You'll be alright..." The voice was the most gentle I had heard, considering I'd only heard his. Then there was another voice, one that I enjoyed so much I bothered to stop crying for it. It was deep and smooth, kind and stern at the same time, concerned like a friend but also like a leader. I would have been amazed that I had been able to figure out all this about the voice through a few simple words had I been more aware of...of...everything.

"Ratchet, what have you found?" the new voice repeated as he was ignored by Ratchet- maybe not on prupose, I thought.

"It's...Optimus, I don't belive it." Ratcher whispered hoarsly, in complete and utter disbelief at what he saw- which is to say, me. "It's a sparkling, by the Allspark." he said, shaking his head. He gently picked me up in a large metal hand, bringing me closer to his face. He smiled for just a moment, and while it did not stay aimed at me for long, it stayed as Ratchet turned and showed me to the person who I could only assume was Optimus.

He was huge, for one thing, towering high. Red and blue and silver and metal all over, he looked serious and determined, though not completely devoid of emotion. I could tell everything I had inferred about him via his voice was true. There was also something about his face that told me he was in charge here, but he seemed like he'd be a good leader. The moment I saw him there was something about him that I loved. He hesitantly raised a hand and Ratchet got the message. He nodded and I could feel I was being passed from one metal giant to the next, and I felt safe with these people. They were friends. I could trust them.

"He couldn't possibly be the energon reading we detected...My scanners would have picked him up before now...He's so alone, Optimus." Ratchet murmured, his voice catching. I tilted my head. The emotion in Ratchet's voice was unfamiliar and I blinked, wondering what made him so sad about a lone 'sparkling' as he called me, being so alone.

Optimus shook his head sorrowfully, and I squeaked, wondering what made him so sad. I liked Optimus; I really really did. He was like a father and I didn't even know him. "I believe his life signal may not yet be strong enough to be sensed by your scanners, Ratchet, since he is only a sparkling. Another possibility is that the Decepticons left him here for some reason, during the fight. In any event we must take him back to base; there is no reason for us to leave him."

"Ratchet-" a female voice now said, and another metal figure, though nto nearly as tall as Optimus, approached. "What-" she began, but cut herself off. "A sparkling?" she murmured, with much the same disbelief on her face that Ratchet had first displayed when he found me.

"Yes, Arcee. However, we must get him back to base. Ratchet will need to check him over in case he is hurt." Optimus informed her, and I smiled happily, chirping. I just loved, love love loved the sound of Optimus's voice. He made me happy for some reason. My attention was distracted from him though, as a swirling vortex of green, blue, and crackling white appeared, and I stared at it, entracted by all the pretty colors. I wondered where it came from, and was distinctly pleased when Arcee, Optimus, and Ratchet all headed towards it. I liked the colors. They were so pretty. I wanted to be near them...To touch them...

And yet when the three metal giants walked through the spinning cylinder of light, here was a flash and the scenery changed. I didn't know how I knew it was some sort of military base, but that was what I saw. The place was big, and what I didn't expect to see were...what were they called...humans! Ah. Humans. There were three of them. One was short and had wild brown hair with glasses. He was funny. Another was taller and had hair that was separated to either side of her head- it was black with some pink. She had a hyperactive demeanor. The third was calm but also morose. She was taller then the hyper girl and had pretty black hair. I liked her, but not as much as I liked Optimus.

"Hi Optimus! What you carrying? Any sign of Jack?" the girl burst out, running up to Optimus. She was comical, with her spunky attitude. She also looked infinitly small compared to Optimus.

"No sign of him. I am sorry, Miko. However, Ratchet found...A sparkling." Optimus stated. He carried me gently, next to his chest, and I could feel every movement he made from here. I blinked and chittered restlessly when he moved me, however, for the humans to get a good look. I didn't expect to lose my balance as I tipped forward to get a better look at Miko, though. He wailed as I fell off Optimus's hand, and I nearly began to scream bloody murder had Optimus immediately not bent down and picked me up again.

Ratchet looked surprised at how quickly Optimus moved to calm me, and I sniffled in his huge hands, calming down as I felt a friendly presense- Optimus, of course- there to protect me from all the world. I felt like nothing could harm me. So long as I had Optimus...So long as I had him...I'd be safe from the entire world. I emitted a quiet, half purr, half cooing noise as I curled around Optimus's thumb, by eyes closing as one thought enveloped me- _Father._


	2. Chapter 2

_**NOTE: I totally didn't expect people to be seeing the first chapter within an hour of my uploading it! Thank you! And a review too?! Sweet! I really think this is gonna be a cool fic, and I'm trying to make the middle ground between my last two fics, ROTG Cold which averaged 2,200 words per chapter, and After the Prime which is anywhere between 200-600 words. ;-; I managed to get the previous chpater of this sotry up to 1,400 but I was somewhat disappointed by this chpater, where I onyl got to 1,100. Poo. Well, I decided that Jack shall be called Steel, which is reeeeeeally lame but kind of short and simple. I dunno. I kinda like it. If you have any better ideas please tell me. I can change it.**_

* * *

The mature human was called June. The little one was Raf. Around the base there were two other metal giants called Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Ratchet was the medic for the Cybertronians, as I soon learned we were called, and June was the human medic. Bumblebee only spoke Cybertronian and he was the scout. He was funny! Bulkhead was big and strong and was a fighter, but kind. Arcee was tough and sometimes violent- she was a true warrior- but I liked her.

I learned all of this in just a few days. It was not taught but simply picked up while Optimus showed me the base. I absorbed everything he said.

I liked the others. I truly did.

But then, of course, there was Optimus. I loved him. He was kind and thoughtful and quiet. I screamed whenever he went out of sight, and chirped happily when I was in his hand. After a day or so on the base, I started picking up ont he language, and was trying out words. Everyone thought it was so cute when I tried a word and it came out funny. When I saw Optimus after waking up from 'recharge' as it was called, I said, "Dad!" It was one of the new words I'd learned and as near as I could figure it meant the same thing as father, and to me, that was Optimus.

Optimus stopped and stared at me in surprise, blinking a few times. I was sitting with Raf on the 'couch' and the human boy stifled a giggle. I looked at him, and he looked at me. We were the same size, so I was next to him instead of curled up on top of him, as I would have liked to do.

"I do not understand." Optimus said, thought why would he have been so startled if he didn't? I was confused and upset. I had been hoping to impress him with my new word...Why did he not understand?

"A dad is a father, Optimus. I think Steel wants you to take care of him." Raf explained. Steel...That was what they called me, despite the fact that I was gold and copper-bronze colored. Raf paused. "I think that's why he cries when he can't see you- he thinks you're his dad."

Optimus seemed to process this for a moment, before June approached with a barely-contained laugh. "Well, he does look a bit like you." She studied me, and pulled me up so I was standing unsteadily on the puffy cushions of the couch.

"He DEFINETLY looks like you, Optimus." Miko giggled, bouncing in. It always made me laugh when Miko came in. She was always so happy, even when, as I understood, one of her beast friends was missing. I assumed she was the one who made the group laugh, and maybe she was holding together for their sakes. Whatever the case, I thought Miko was just about the best thing ever next to Op- no, _Dad_- and human cartoons. Miko paused and looked at me dubiously. "Well, not color-wise, but his build."

Dad blinked again. "Do humans choose their fathers?" he asked. I couldn't understand why he asked this. I wasn't human. "We do not choose our creators." he added.

"Usually no, because there are biological parents that are really actually related to the child, but maybe since Steel doesn't have his creators, he chose you as his father." June answered. "Sometimes human parents leave their children, or they die, and the child, if they're left early enough, accepts another adult figure in their life as their parent. It's probably the same thing here."

Dad nodded slowly. Suddenly his attention was drawn away by Ratchet. "Optimus! You had better come see this!" the medic called urgently, and Dad, knowing I'd start wailing if he left, picked me up gently and strode over to where the medic stood, looking intently at some screens. They displayed data written in Cybertronian, and some weird pictures. "I analyzed an energon sample I took from Steel the other day and...well, look." Ratchet sighed and motioned helplessly to the screen. "The energon inside of him is incredibly potent. I wouldn't be surprised if he advanced much much quicker than other sparklings ever did."

I received a curious look fromthe Autobot I had designated to be my father. I didn't understand what Ratchet had said, or if it was good or bad, but he seemed concerned. I tilted my head at Dad, chirping.

"I am not sure if this is good or bad," Dad began, mimicking my own thoughts though I didn't know it, "But it will mean that Steel will not need to be protected as long as other sparklings do, but also that, with the strength of his life signal, the Decepticons may learn of him. We must to go extra lengths to make sure he does not come to harm."

"I-" Ratchet began, but something drew his attention away. Of course. A beeping on the screen alerted me too, and I looked at it curiously, not understanding what was on them one bit or why Ratchet was so concerned about it, but red flashing letters caught my optic and I squeaked, "Dad?" In response he patted my comfortingly, but his attention was elsewhere and I scarcely felt any compassion from him.

"His energon levels are spiking, Optimus." Ratchet informed him. Dad leaned closer, but Ratchet looked at me. Strangely enough I felt the need for recharge suddenly, my optics dimming quite a bit as the quiet embrace threatened to engulf me. I resisted though, as I didn't understand why all of the sudden did I need recharge so badly? I wsn't hungry or tired, but maybe I was, or else why did I need...need...

"He's going into recharge..." was the last thing I heard. Unfortunately it wasn't my father speaking, as I would have much preferred, so I could have something to think about and cling to while in recharge. I always liked hearing Dad's words before I 'slept' as the humans referred to the action fo sinking into recharge. It had become clear that I slept better when I heard Dad's voice, but it was not to be so this time as I chirped one last time, my optics offlining as the irresistable pull of sleep caught me in an unbreakable noose and I was dragged away from everything I knew into the unchanging void of blackness that was recharge.

Father...Dad...Optimus...Prime...Energon...Recharge...Sleep...Change...


	3. Chapter 3

_**You guys put a lump in my throat...I teared up...I never expected that two chapters, 2000 words, and a sparkling would get me three- no FOUR!- reviews in a single night. You gotta understand, reviews mean something to me because it means someone's out there who's reading and like my story! I just like writing stories that people enjoy seeing. :)**_

_**Edit: That was from like days ago...A week? I dunno. Sorry to keep ya guys waiting! ^^" Heh. Anyway, here's the next chapter...Unfortunately not very exciting.**_

I won't pretend to understand what happened to me during recharge that...that...was it day or night? I'd not been out of base before at the time, and only recharged when I felt the need to, not when it was night. But as I was in recharge, it felt like everything was changing. I felt uncomfortable, and my rest was fitful. I felt cramped and it was as if I was being pressed into something, but that was onyl what my body was feeling. On the contrary, it felt as if I had too much room inside myself than was nessisary. I could hardly tell who I was inside myself, and I kept wondering, _Who am I? What am I? Is this what I am supposed to be?_

Needless to say, I felt out of place.

And yet...When I awoke from recharge, I could not remember what I had felt like in my dreams, and I only felt a slight twinge of restless unease. Only later would I find the reason for my uncertaintly, but now, I remembered who I was. I was Steel. But was I...had I... Frag! Everything was so small!

At that moment I realized my thoughts had advanced from, "Energon play Dad recharge Miko Raf friends Base recharge," to "What-the-frag-is-going-on-who-am-I-where-is-Dad?"

Or...something along those lines. But my mind had expanded, as had vocabulary, evidently... "SLAG! WOULD ANYONE CARE TO TELL ME WHAT IN THE PIT IS GOING ON!?" I shouted, before I knew what I was doing. Optics wide open now, I unintentionally rolled over and ended up rolling off the whatever it was I was on. "FRAGGING PRIMUS THAT HURT!" I screamed loudly, and I realized my voice was a good bit deeper than I...that was funny. Had I...remembered something? From when, though?!

Footsteps pounded in the hallway, and I scrambled into a sitting position- I'd been going for standing, but I guess was just too much to hope for- just as Miko and Raf ran in. "Whoa. Who gave you a shrinking potion?" I asked, confused as to why looked so small.

"Us, small?!" Miko exclaimed. "Uh, no. Who made into a full-size Cybertronian?" She spat, hands on her hips as she glared at me across the room.

"Oh." I stated. That would explain my vulgar language, confusing thoughts, expanded understanding, and why things looked so small.

"Steel?" Raf peeped, poking his head out from behind Miko. I blinked. "What happened to you?" he asked, tilting his head.

"And you think I would know, after thinking someone shrank you." I said flatly, giving him the "As-if-I-would-know-I-thought-you-were-the-smart-one!" look.

Miko got my meaning. "How should he know? He went into recharge after Ratchet said his energy readings spiked...And then they found some Con signals and went after them." She explained. Raf blinked and I started.

"Wow. And I thought he was smart." I said, receiving an indignant retort from Raf (which I expertly ignored) and some well-earned laughter from Miko. She was doubled over and clutching her sides as she giggled and even emitted the occasional snort. Humans. Such odd beings, but so enjoyable at same time. It was hilarious. "So how long was I out?" I asked, basically killing the moment, but I had to know.

"Eh. Just over an hour. Ratchet put you in here before they left- all of them, so it was serious- and told us to leave you be." Miko shrugged. "Think we should contact them?"

"Depends." I said as I heard the nearly undetectable sound of a Ground Bridge opening in distance. It wouldn't have been audible to human audio- err, ears. "on what you define as contact." I slowly stood up,still slightly disoriented- the ground was a long way away and I wasn't sure I'd like it if I fell.

"Uhh, what?" Miko said sharply, clearly confused as she gave me a, "Explain-or-die" look.

"They're back!" Raf said happily, and motioned for Miko and I to follow as he left the doorway of the room. I nodded and began to follow, but stopped and without warning picked up Miko, placing her in my servo. I smiled at her and she glared at me.

"Nice to know you're alright. I would have hated to have pinched you on accident." I commented jokingly, but I meant it. I loved Miko as a friend and there was some connection between her and the slight, subconscious feeling of unease that I had chosen to ignore like an idiot. I needed Miko more than I knew at that point though. I needed Raf too. And Optimus. The list just goes on.

The sounds of the Autobots returning grew louder as I followed Raf down the long hallway. Twists and turns ensued and we finally ended up down a final stretch of hallway that would bring us to the central part of the base.

"Where are Miko and Rafael?" I could hear Ratchet asking nobody in particular. I guess he expected them to be in his sight at all times. What a control freak! He turned just in time to see our little group coming from the hall and stared. I stopped walking. What- ohhhh. Right. I'd been a sparkling just an hour ago.

"Hi Ratchet!" Miko waved at him.

"What is the meaning of this? Who is-" Ratchet began to angrily shout, starting to walk over in a fit of rage, but Bulkhead tapped his shoulder.

"Uhhhhh, Ratch, I think that's Steel." he said, unsure.

"Impossible! He was but a sparkling when we last saw him! He...It's...I..." Ratchet spluttered, trying to make sense of it all. "Unless..." he began thoughtfully, but shook it off and pointed a finger in Bulkhead's face in a reprimanding manner. "Spiking energon levels couldn't do that!"

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about , except for the fact that it has something to do with me, but could you stop arguing?" I finally managed to put a word in edgewise before Bulkhead started to go all Wrecker on the Doc-Bot.

THAT got all optics on me.

Well, what could I do? I half smiled and shrugged.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Whoa! So many reviews, so fast! Thank you guys! You've motivated me after a FAILED Superbowl party that totally SUCKED because my friend, who was entertaining some younger girls, suddenly disappeared and I was all alone. Then I found out that they went to watch a movie at someone else's house so I went home. ;-; Whoopedoo. But hey. Now I'm writing a fanfiction with Transformers BGM playing in the background. It's epic.**_

_**Edit: **__**Derp. Again, that was from daaaaays ago... precisely 7 days I think. Was it 2 weeks or 1 week? I HAVE A HORRIBLE SENSE OF TIME. Things just blur by (Blurr? xD) especially when I have things to preoccupy me. Like the fact that I've been learning Autobot! Is it weird that I can now read/write it fully after just 5 days of practice and a language chart? I dunno. Sorry. Anyway, TALLY HO! ONWARD! MUSH! TO THE STORY! JUST...READ IT, FRAG YOU!**_

All optics remained on me. That was annoying. "Well? It's not my fault I suddenly went from sparkling to adult. I didn't do anything." I snapped as I crossed my arms. Optimus was nowhere to be seen and secretly I was glad; I had a feeling he would have been dissappointed in my reaction to all the attention. True, it wasn't my fault, but I shouldn't have gotten angry about it. That was a little bit immature and unnesisary, I thought afterwards. But that was besides the point.

"So you really are Steel?" Bumblebee chirrped. His doorwings twitched inquisitively and he tilted his head. I nodded.

"Last I checked." I replied in a matter-of-fact, somewhat smug but nonchalant manner that probably made Ratchet reeeeally mad. He looked about ready to smack me all the way to Cybertron and the angry look in his optics was positively Decepticon-worthy murderous.

Perfect. He was right where I wanted him.

"It's not like I can help being awesome," I added, pretneding to inspect my hand. I shrugged. "Tha's jus' how I am." I said, causing Miko to giggle and earning a muffled snigger from Raf. Ratchet half-growled at me in rage and I ducked just in time to see a pale silver blur fly over my head- one of Ratchet's tools. He immediately stormed after it, shoulders hunched as he stomped by. I had to chuckle as Bulkhead, the clumsy fellow, accidentally stepped on it as he tried to get a closer look at what Ratchet had thrown.

"BULKHEAD! I NEEDED THAT!" Ratche screamed in his face, causing the Wrecker to jerk back and stumble, frightened. Ratchet pounded down the hall in a rage, and though I didn't know where I was going, I guessed he was probably getting some more tools or whatever. Howver, my amusement at this scene faded as I heard heavy footsteps. They weren't Ratchet's, that was certain, as these came from a different hallway. Bulkhead was too uncoordinated, and besides, he was right there. The only other bot big enough to make footsteps like that...

Sure enough, none other than the Boss-Bot himself stood in the hallway. Optimus Prime, the last living Prime and the only one capable of taking down Megatron more than once. Once a friend of the big 'Con himself, the then-archivist Orion Pax had stood up against the then-Megatronus's tyrannical views and was seen fit to receive the Matrix of Leadership. Then he became good-old, stony-faced, no emotions roll-out Prime, much-respected for his prowess in battle and willingness to sacrifice anything including hiself for the safety of others, which included the entire planet Earth. And on this planet, he was an alien! Nothing could stop Optimus...He was the never-gives up kind of guy. That was how I knew him. More than he knew, though, he'd grown to be a father for-

As soon as that long thought rolled through my processor, I nearly fainted and I'm pretty sure my optics got very wide as I staggered randomly. Memories not my own- but wait a second...They WERE my memories, but from a different...a different...life. Or time. A shocking revelation hit me and I realized I was the friend that Miko and Raf had been missing; the one human asset that was no longer present at base was now present as an Autobot. So...I was Jack! But...I was still Steel, too, right? Through the conflicting myriad of thoughts swelling around me I could barely hear Ratchet asking if I was okay, or anything else. I clutched my head and screamed in agony as everything went black with the pain of memories still flowing through me from some other time and place.

It felt like a long time had passed since I blacked out, but in reality it wasn't too long I remembered...Much more than I should have. I knew who I was, but at the same time I didn't. If you don't know how frightening it is to be between one person and the last, the past and the present, then be glad. You don't want to know what I was feeling. I was scared and confused, and I didn't know where I was. "Steel?" Someone asked me quietly. I realized it was Ratchet.

"Is that my name?" I managed to groan after a moment. I'd opened my optics wearily to find the entire room cleary and fuzzy, so I simply closed them again.

"You don't remember?" Ratchet queried, clearly concerned. I could hear him taking a step back in confusion. If only he knew that I was so much more confused than he was!

"I do...but...I don't know. Am I Steel...or am I Jack?" I whispered fearfully, and my spark raced. My thoughts were laced with feelings of regret- why?!- and unsurprisingly, fear. I couldn't understand why I felt regret, and even the little tinge of anger.

"No..." Ratchet murmured. Was it such a bad thing that I couldn't tell who I was? Now I knew why I felt angry! It was a premonition! But then my rage subsided to a feeling of guilt and unease. I came to the realization that my regret was also a premonition. So I was feeling emotions before I had a reason to feel them. What next?! I found myself wondering, but Ratchet's voice jerked me out of my thoughts. "We found y...his body."

"But I'm Jack. And I'm Steel..." I persisted urgently, trying to make the tempermental medic see my point. However, something was nagging at me and I couldn't quite place it. Wait, I could. Ratchet had just given me a sedative somehow! Was that even possible? I didn't have time to contemplate that as the warm embrace of unconciousness grabbed me tightly and everything faded away. However, I caught one last snippet of conversation- apparantly Optimus had been in the room and listening to what I'd been rambling on about, because it was him who said, "...reborn."


End file.
